Our third date was supposed to be perfect — candlelight, wine, and real connection. Susan and I had met on Tinder, and things were going great. I’d chosen a quiet Italian restaurant, set for the kind of night that could lead to something more. But just as we settled in, disaster walked through the door: Linda, my colleague from accounting — and her three kids. Without invitation,
she sat at our table.Susan, understandably confused, watched as Linda casually said, “You promised to watch the kids tonight — and here you are, with her?” I was floored. “Linda, I never—” Susan stood up, furious. Linda dropped a bomb: “He’s been leading me and the kids on for months.” Susan stormed out. My night — maybe my shot with her — was over. I turned to Linda in disbelief, but she simply said, “You should thank me.” Then she pulled out her phone and showed me something shocking — a mugshot of Susan. “She’s wanted for fraud,”